Stepping Stones Designated as National Historic Landmark

NCADD
July 2015 Issue

Stepping Stones, the home of Bill and Lois Wilson, was designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, in 2012.

An unveiling of the marker was held June 6, 2015 in Bedford, NY, and NCADD President/CEO Andy Pucher, was among the invited guests. The unveiling coincides with the 80th Anniversary of the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Stepping Stones is dedicated to preserving the historic home of Bill and Lois and to commemorating their achievements in the field of recovery from alcoholism. In 1979, Lois Wilson created a foundation to maintain the home, its contents and archives. Guided tours and educational programming are offered. Bill and Lois Wilson lived and worked at Stepping Stones from 1941 until their deaths in 1971 and 1988, respectively.

Dignitaries unveiled the official marker designating the Wilsons' home as a National Historic Landmark (NHL) by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS).

The high honor is shared by about 2500 sites selected because of their significance to America and the standards of preservation they uphold.

Other notable attendees:
Margaret Griffith Strong Dettman, Bill Wilson’s great niece; Stepping Stones Executive Director Sally Corbett; Historian John Stockbridge; National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence President and CEO Andrew Pucher; filmmaker and past Stepping Stones Trustee William Borchert ("My Name is Bill W." and "When Love is Not Enough – The Lois Wilson Story"); and guests from as far away as Sweden and India.